SYMPTOMATIC MIDDLE EAR AND CRANIAL SINUS BAROTRAUMAS AS A COMPLICATION OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENT

Objective: hyperbaric oxygen therapy (hbot) is applied for various diseases. it is generally considered safe but has some benign complications and adverse effects. the most common complication is middle ear barotrauma. the aim of this study was to collect data about middle ear and cranial sinus barotraumas in our department and to evaluate factors affecting the occurrence of barotrauma. material and methods: files of patients who had undergone hyperbaric oxygen therapy between june 1st, 2004, and april 30th, 2012, and hbot log books for the same period were searched for barotraumas. patients who were intubated and unconscious were excluded. data about demographics and medical history of conscious patients with barotrauma (bt) were collected and evaluated retrospectively. results: it was found that over eight years and 23,645 sessions, 39 of a total 896 patients had bt; thus, the general bt incidence of our department was 4.4%. the barotrauma incidence was significantly less in the multiplace chamber (3.1% vs. 8.7%) where a health professional attended the therapies. most barotraumas were seen during early sessions and were generally mild. a significant accumulation according to treatment indications was not determined. conclusion: it was thought that the low barotrauma incidence was related to the slow compression rate as well as training patients thoroughly and monitoring them carefully. it can be said that when applied in these conditions, hbot is safe for ears and cranial sinuses.